“Why have we assembled here this morning?”
Fr. Thomas Kommers asked us this question at last Sunday’s Mass. (Recall that he was substituting for Fr. Steve, who was on vacation.) He said that our assembling for Mass is a way for us to respond to the Gospel message—to be living examples of life in the reign of God.
Can I get an Amen?
Notice how Fr. Thomas’s preaching aligns with our parish mission: we’re a Catholic community that is a visible expression of God’s love.
We visibly express God’s love when we gather for Mass. And when we bring family and/or friends with us. And participate – fully, consciously and actively. All of those factors contribute to making Mass a peak experience for Catholics.
That’s the theory. How do we do in practice? Recall the list of St. Matt’s Strengths in last week’s bulletin insert. Drawing on that, here’s my shortlist with respect to Mass at St. Matt’s:
• Excellent preaching (thank you, Fr. Steve and Fr. Thomas)
• Good music (and I’m not saying that just because I sometimes help out)
• A hospitable community (frequently noted by visitors and newcomers)
• We’re committed to care for the poor (recall our many ministries)
• We want to change the world for the better
The first three bullet points link directly to the idea of Mass as a peak experience. The 4th and 5th points tie into the idea of Mass as a source of our life together outside of Mass. As presiders say at the end of Mass, “Go in peace and love to serve the Lord.” That’s a call for us to respond with energy to good preaching, music and hospitality—to go out and visibly express God’s love.
Have a great week!
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